Hello All!
Here is the next chapter!!
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CHAPTER 26:
** COURTROOM **
"I will never grant Mr. Fox the permission to meet my kids."
"As it is absolutely clear in our divorce agreement about how interested Mr. Fox is in my kids, I would like to stick to the same thing." Aria said in a firm tone looking at Hunter with her eyes boring into his soul. Hunter was totally surprised hearing this. Though she had told him on his engagement day and indicated to him by signing he divorce papers, he still thought that maybe; she will use this opportunity to pull the father card on him. But here she is clearly saying that she never wants her kids near him.
"My Lord, my kids are little babies with pure hearts. They have no idea about how cruel this world can be. They always see things as white and black! They have no idea about anything else. They are innocent and I find myself extremely lucky to have them in my life." Aria continued while looking at the judge this time and her voice turned soft whenever she spoke about the little ones.
"I don't want my little ones to meet or to even know about such a man like 'him'..." Aria said in a tone lacing with slight anger and hurt while pointing her index finger at Hunter.
She continued saying "A man who trusts his own insecurities more than his own wife. I don't want my kids to meet someone who could easily call them 'bastards' just because he thought his wife was cheating on him. I don't want them to meet a man who can easily believe in such proofs than his own wife; a wife whom he had claimed to love more and more every single day!!"
"And what happened in the end? What happened to all that love? Vanished in the thin air?" Aria asked while looking at hunter with anger and pain.
"Love is something that can't just stop! If one loves someone so deeply and dearly, he would not believe in such proofs." Aria said while thinking about the difference in Christopher and Hunter. Hunter who was her husband had clearly believed in those proofs blindly that he didn't even try to find out if she was really the one in them. Whereas Christopher, he sat with her and he himself found out all the loopholes in those photographs and videos. And the best part is; Christopher is not even married to her.
"So, I don't want my kids to know that such a man even existed once in the past in their mother's life. They don't know him and I would like to keep it like that forever! They deserve a father who would treat them with love, care and trust. Just like my 'Christopher'!" Aria said in a strong and a firm tone while curling her fingers over the edge of the table. She looked at Christopher when she took his name and he bit his lip knowing she is going to break down today and he hated that but at the same time he knew it was needed. She has to vent it off!!
"I am not a saint My Lord! I am not a godly being that I can forgive everything. I may forgive people easily no doubt in that. But yes, I can't forget easily." She said while nodding her head in 'no' stressing the fact that she won't forget.
"I may forgive the man who took money from Mr. Fox for not coming to the court; 'someday'. I may forgive the lawyer who fought from Mr. Fox's side; 'someday'. I may even forgive the one person who actually created those photos and videos; 'someday'. Not because I have some concern towards these people. I don't even know them to feel concerned about them. But yes, when your own ex-husband is trying to portray his ex-wife as a characterless woman in front of everyone, why should I blame other people who were dancing to his tune? When my own ex-husband is the major culprit and doesn't have trust in me, then why should I even bother about these other people who are hear only because of money?" Aria said while throwing her hands in the air lightly and sighing every now and then.
"And that's the reason I said that maybe 'someday' I might find in me to forgive these people but I will not forget about it." Aria said in a firm tone and nodded her head in 'no'.
"And as far as 'this man' is concerned..." She said while pointing her index finger at Hunter and rose up from her seat. She leaned a little on the edge of the witness box and said "I will never forgive this man who claimed to love me and later divorced me brutally. I can never forgive someone who trusts his insecurities more than his own wife!! I will neither forgive nor forget!!" Aria said while stressing each and every word that came out of her mouth. The judge was keenly listening to her and thought about the pain that was erupting in her words.
"My Lord! The case we fought here in this courtroom a while back is something very depressing and heart wrenching. I am not only talking about my case! There are many... many girls... many women... many ladies... Huh... They are many, who have been a victim of abuses, accusations, crimes and domestic violence." She said in a soft tone looking at the judge while he kept listening to her attentively with creased forehead.
"Let the abuse be physical or verbal it doesn't matter anymore. My Lord, there is no doubt that a physical abuse leaves scars and marks on one's body. But yes, verbal abuse is no less!! It leaves scars too. Some very, very deep scars!!! It is equally painful and traumatic. The scars that they leave are so sharp and are so deeply dug into your heart that it can't be forgotten." She said in lost tone thinking about the words Hunter threw at her all these years for something she hasn't ever done.
"My Lord, I am not saying that all women are angels and all men are devils. NO! There are women who treat their men like they mean nothing to them and at the same time, there are men in this world who treat their women like a goddess." She said stressing on each and every word and yes, she wasn't wrong! There are people who worship and love their partners and treat them equals to them. But at the same time there are people, who behave worse than animals and trouble their partners.
"Just like 'my' Christopher!!" Aria said in a soft tone and looked at him. He nodded his head in 'no' mouthing 'don't cry sweetheart'. He could obviously sense her emotional turmoil. She smiled back at him gently and mouthed 'don't worry! I won't cry!!'
She closed her eyes and sighed heavily and said "So, let's talk about the men who abuse women!!" She opened her eyes and looked at every one asking "I just have one basic question to you all. Who gave you the right?"
"Who gave you men the right to abuse women? Who gave you the right to accuse them falsely? Who gave you the right to hit them? Who gave you the right to assume things about them? Who gave you the right to treat them worse than animals? Are you so caught up in your own disgusting theories that you even forget that they are simple human beings?" Aria said in a louder tone and thumped her palm on the edge of the witness box while every single person there was quiet! Pin drip silence in the courtroom! Even the judge was bound to think about Aria's questions.
"Who gave you the right? Come on, answer me!!" She said in the same tone and let her gaze fall on every single person around there and some men were unable to even look at this powerful woman and kept their gaze down in shame. But Hunter kept throwing daggers at her but knew he had to be quiet now as he had done enough damage on his own self.
"Remember one thing! He is watching you all. He is watching your acts. Each and every disgusting play of yours is being recorded out there! I am not cursing anybody but yes, we all know that what we give is all we get in return!! If you are doing something today, then be prepared! Be prepared for the consequences tomorrow." She said while pointing her index finger up as if indicating the god.
She closed her eyes for a few seconds trying to calm herself. A few seconds later she opened her eyes and asked "Tell me, what you men would do if the women being abused are your own kin? What if she is your mother, your sister, your friend or your daughter? What would you do then?"
"Let's just say, you have a very pretty little baby girl; the apple of your eye, whom you have raised up with so much love and care all your life. And one day some fool comes in the disguise of a husband and starts abusing your daughter. What would you do then?" She said with a sad smile playing on her face thinking about this scenario too. Yes, there are people who do that too. Many men who claim that they love someone's daughter and then give immense pain to the girl by behaving like an animal. Parents feel depressed and hurt seeing their own daughter in such a state.
"Would you thump his back and congratulate him for being an abusive animal? Would you say 'I am so proud of you my boy!' Or, would you drop in your valuable suggestions and ideas about how to abuse your own daughter in the worst possible, sick and perverted ways?" She was beyond angry. She was hurt thinking about the pains of domestic violence.
"I repeat I am not accusing every man! I am only talking about the 'people' who behave like animals." Aria stated while looking at the judge and he nodded his head in 'yes'. Even he knew what she talking was absolutely correct.
"My Lord! When I was divorced, I was alone with a baby growing inside me. I had no money to feed my own baby. I had no proper change of clothes and I did not have a shelter to spend the night. And the most of all, I didn't have time. I had to act fast and fight for fulfilling the basic needs of my life. The only asset I had was my hope, my confidence, my faith and my baby! With the words like 'gold-digger' always running in my mind and a baby to feed, I fought! I fought the obstacles with open arms and kept fighting every single day." She said in a firm tone alternating her gaze between the judge and Hunter. Hunter who stood opposite to her in the other witness box also appeared a bit moved by her words. He was bound to think about the scenario what she narrated. And for the first time he felt ashamed and thought maybe he should have thought about the little thing that she was pregnant and would have needed money.
"But I was lucky! Yes, I was! I was lucky that I met this sweet girl Evelyn, who gave me a job! I met a couple who also gave me a job. I could not let my self-respect be degraded by anyone else anymore. I didn't need any money. I needed 'my' money!! So, I had to stand on my feet! And I stood! I had to fight on my own! And I fought!" She said while stressing each and every word making Hunter feel even guiltier. He could no longer maintain an eyes contact with her so he simply looked at the floor but her words drilled into his brain like a sharp bullet.
"With those cruel words hitting her mind every single minute, a pregnant lady working more than 18 hours a day non-stop just because she wants a secure and a respectable future for herself and her kids is not a JOKE!!! And now 'you' have the audacity to drag me into something I have not even done??" She said while pointing her index finger at Hunter but he closed his eyes and kept his head down.
"Look at me when I am speaking!!" Aria said in a louder tone and Hunter immediately raised his head. He looked at her and saw a powerful woman in front of him. Her eyes were filled with angry tears but she didn't even let a single drop fall out of her beautiful eyes.
"Why was I in that situation in the first place? Weren't 'you' the reason?" She said and looked at the judge who was still looking at her with painful expressions. Every single person including Aria totally forgot where they were and what time it was!
"I really don't know who it is. I don't know what he or she would gain by framing me in the act of cheating. I just know one thing...." She said while nodding her head in denial thinking who wanted to play with her life this bad. Calming her racing heart, she looked straight at Hunter and raised her voice. "The only thing I know is... I was supposed to be protected by 'him'! I was supposed to be given moral support by 'him'! I was supposed to be happy because of 'him'! I was supposed to be consoled by 'him'! Most of all, I was supposed to be TRUSTED by 'him'!" Her every word hit deep into his heart and he gulped. Even he knew she was right!!
"And what did 'he' do? 'He' verbally abused me! 'He' accused me! 'He' called me a gold-digger! 'He' called me names that I can't even say here! 'He' insulted me! And the worst, 'he' abused my unborn baby! HOW DARE 'HE'?" Aria almost yelled and kept looking at Hunter with pain and anger oozing out of her eyes. Christopher no longer wanted her to face this pain so he cleared his throat grabbing her attention a bit. A few people looked at him too including the judge but Christopher didn't care. For him only Aria and only Aria was important. He crinkled his eyes a little and mouthed 'please!' She knew he was asking her not to break down. She smiled at him and nodded her head in 'yes'.
She turned her attention towards everyone and said "I am not telling this to gain pity from you all! I am an independent woman with beautiful and innocent kids. I don't need this 'Hunter' to lead my life! My life is my own chariot and 'I' am the one who is going to ride it. The reason I am stating all this is; there are women who are facing situations worse than mine. And my heart breaks for them!!" She said in a firm tone stressing on the words 'my own chariot'.
"My Lord! That's all I wanted to say! I am sorry if I said way too much!" She said in a soft tone like always. The judge was totally surprised at how her tone instantly changed from strong to soft. Wow, she was really a superhero!!
The judge cleared his throat and said "As per the notes and debates we had here today on the case between Mr. Fox and Ms. Ferguson, being in the responsible position to give the judgement..."
"The court orders the officers to take Mr. Fox into custody for the charges of tampering with the proofs and bribing the witnesses. It is also proved that he had deliberately framed Ms. Ferguson and falsely accused her of the charges of humiliating him and slapping him for the wrong reasons. It is also proved that the charges on Ms. Ferguson about blackmailing him and not planning his wedding are also framed against Ms. Ferguson. It has no relation with the DNA test results. What Mr. Fox did is a crime. Tampering with legal documents is a crime and cannot be ignored." The judge said in a firm tone looking at Hunter who was now looking down unable to meet anyone's gaze.
"Under the Crimes Act of Tampering with the Evidence, Mr. Fox is sentenced to imprisonment for 10 years. The way he tried to mislead the judiciary is a crime. He is also ordered to pay the fine of 50000 dollars to the government as a penalty." The judge said and Daniel hit his palm on the table and turned immediately towards Christopher. They shared a look of achievement.
"Ruby Wedding Bells has full authority to file a case against Mr. Fox for the charges of tampering with their documents and can also claim for the compensation amounts." The judge said and Dawson Cole, Evelyn's father, looked at Christopher. He nodded his head in 'yes' and said "Of course I am not going to spare him." Christopher smirked at him and looked back at the judge.
"Ms. Ferguson has full custody of her kids considering the statement given by Mr. Hunter Fox that he has nothing to do with the kids and the choice made by her. She can also claim for the compensation amounts for what Mr. Fox had done." The judge said and shot a look at Aria. She was happy to get the full custody of her kids. So, the little doubt she ever had was also erased now. Now, she had nothing to worry about the DNA results.
"Ms. Ferguson is proved innocent and the charges put up on her are no longer valid and proved false." The judge said and smiled at Aria and immediately turned his attention back to the public. Aria was beyond happy and didn't know how to react. She looked at Christopher who was smiling widely and mouthed "you did it sweetheart!!"
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Aria jumped into Christopher's arms outside the courtroom and said in
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"Let's get married! I don't want to wait anymore!!"
Christopher smiled and kissed her in front of everyone not before saying "Neither can I!"
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P.S.: Extremely Sorry for the grammatical errors!
** NEXT CHAPTER SPOILER ** Small gathering at Brentt Residence!! ;)
Now, that Hunter drama is out of picture, how about some romance?? What say??
VOTE, SHARE, COMMENT and ENJOY!!
Much Love!!
Manasa DVLK